The Kashmir Pulse

NEW DELHI — The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday said it is ready to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir and that the Union Territory recorded the highest voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the last four decades.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi to give an overview of marathon 7-phase 2024 general elections that concluded on June 1, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, as per the local news agency KNS, said the commission is ready to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that Jammu and Kashmir recorded the highest voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the last four decades with 58.58 overall per cent, while Kashmir Valley recorded a 51.05 per cent turnout.

He also said that there was no major incident reported during polls anywhere in the country including Jammu and Kashmir.

The 7-phase Lok Sabha polls concluded on June 1, while votes will be counted tomorrow. On June 1, the exit polls predicted a landslide victory for PM Modi-led NDA with the alliance poised to win over 350 seats.

Meanwhile, all arrangements have been put in place with heightened security measures for the counting of votes across the country including Jammu and Kashmir.

For Jammu and Kashmir, most of the exit polls predicted the National Conference's win in all three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley, BJP's two-seat wins in the Jammu division and Congress winning the lone Lok Sabha seat in Ladakh.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Expressing ‘regrets’ of sorts for not contesting on three crucial Kashmir Lok Sabha seats, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the BJP unit of J&K must gear up to contest on all seats in the upcoming Assembly elections slated for September this year.

Shah stated this while interacting with the BJP delegation at The Lalit Palace in Srinagar. The Home Minister arrived in Srinagar this evening amid tight security cover.

As per the news agency KNO, he met several delegations including Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis and Sikhs. In the end, he met the BJP delegation that included BJP’s General Secretary and J&K Affairs Incharge Sunil Sharma and other leaders—Darakshan Andrabi, Hina Bhat, Sofi Yousuf, Altaf Thakur, Dr GM Mir, Ali Muhammad and Bilal Parray. BJP’s national General Secretary Tarun Chug was also present at the meeting.

A source privy to the meeting said that Shah in his opening remarks stated that he has worked very hard to strengthen the BJP at the grassroots level in every nook and corner of the country. “At the onset, Shah expressed a regret of sorts about BJP not contesting the elections on three crucial Lok Sabha seats but maintained that some battles are not fought to defeat the enemy but to check, strengthen and to reinforce the own cadre,” the source revealed.

He said the Union Home Minister stressed the rank and file of BJP to ensure dynasty rule of National Conference, PDP and Congress is wiped out and for that, “you all must vote against these parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls for Baramulla constituency and Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat on May 13 and May 25.”

Shah, according to the source, directed the party men to ensure that the vote of every single BJP worker, leader and activist goes against NC, PDP and Congress.

The source said that during the meeting, Shah made a big announcement that BJP will contest all seats of J&K in the upcoming Assembly polls slated in September this year. The Supreme Court of India had directed the Centre to hold Assembly polls by September this year.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had cited security reasons and the ‘NO’ from the J&K administration for not holding Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously.

A BJP leader, wishing not to be named, said that Shah asked the BJP unit of J&K to gear up and prepare for the upcoming Assembly polls as the party would “contest on all Assembly seats.”

In a rally at Jammu recently, Shah had stated that BJP was not in a hurry to see Lotus bloom in J&K in Parliamentary polls. The party contested two seats of Jammu and Udhampur LS by fielding incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs)—Jugal Kishore Sharma and Dr Jitendera Singh.

It may be recalled after delimitation, the total seats in the assembly rose to 114 seats, of which 24 seats are designated for areas that fall under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Out of the remaining 90 seats, 43 seats are in the Jammu division and 47 seats are in the Kashmir division.

Shah's Kashmir visit came just a day after Jamaat-e-Islami expressed its willingness to join the electoral politics again after 1987 subject to the condition that the Centre revokes the ban imposed on it in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act (UAPA). There was a buzz that a JeI delegation was also likely to meet the Home Minister, however, there was no confirmation of the same till late evening (Thursday).

Sources privy to Shah’s visit said that the Home Minister will air-dash to New Delhi at 10 am on Friday.

Union Home Minister gets feedback about post Article 370 situation from delegations

As the Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Thursday evening, several delegations of Gujjar-Bakarwals, Paharis and Sikh communities here met him at SKICC, where the communities raised their demands with regard to the jobs, reservations and other related things.

Talking exclusively with the news agency KNO, the participants said that the delegations called on Amit Shah and discussed several issues in a cordial atmosphere.

A member from Gujjar-Bakerwal community from South Kashmir, Ahmad Bin Bumla said that the Union Home Minister sought feedback from them about the post-Article 370 situation. “We also discussed several issues and put forth our demands,” he said, adding that the issue of development, Scheduled Tribe status given to Paharis and other issues were also discussed during the meeting.

Shahbaz Peer, another member of the delegation, said that three delegations comprising 150 members from the community have met the Union Home Minister, adding that they put forth the demands like special recruitment for ST community, the spread of the private sector to ensure more jobs for the youth from the community. “We were assured that all the issues and demands raised by us will be looked into,” Peer said.

A member from the Sikh community, Engineer Nirmal Singh, said that a delegation comprising nearly 60 members met the Union Home Minister this evening and raised several demands.

“We demanded a special package for employment like the way minorities have been given here. Besides, we also demanded the establishment of a minority commission and also ST status for the community,” Singh said, adding that they have been told that the demands will be looked into, but the Home Minister has sought some time, according to him, for redressing their grievances and fulfilling their demands.

In a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, one of the members of Gujjar-Bakerwal delegation from north Kashmir, Ghulam Mohammad Khatana said that they discussed only the Schedule Tribe (ST) issue.

“People belonging to ST were unhappy earlier for cutting off their reservation and giving it to Paharis. However, the delegations of Gujjar-Bakarwals were assured that the 10 per cent reservation for them hasn’t been fiddled with,” he said.

Khatana said that HM assured that Paharis were given different reservation quotas and the reservation for Gujjar-Bakerwal was still there. “Besides, the Gujjar-Bakerwal delegation was told that they can elect their own Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the upcoming assembly elections,” he said.

In the meeting with HM, the Gujjar-Bakerwal delegation further informed HM that the community was facing electricity and other basic issues.

Meanwhile, one of the members of the Pahari delegation from north Kashmir, Mohd Younis Sheikh said that the community thanked HM for the reservation to the community. “In the meeting, we thanked Home Minister Amit Shah for his support to the Pahari community. This was the main agenda of our delegation,” he said.

The Pahari community members from South Kashmir also stated that they thanked the Union Home Minister for resolving their long pending issue. “The issue that continued to linger for the last seven decades has been resolved for which we thanked him and also told him that the community is indebted to the government for resolving this grave issue,” Syed Akhter Hussain, a member from South Kashmir’s Pahari community delegation, said.

“The way our demands have been respected, we are ready to respect the government by following its every decision,” he said.

Pertinently, Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar amid tight security arrangements this evening and met several delegations. The Union Home Minister is scheduled to spend a night here only and will be leaving early tomorrow.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — With anticipation mounting, political parties in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are hopeful that the much-awaited Assembly polls could be conducted either independently or simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections later this year.

The last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir took place in 2014, preceding the reorganization of the erstwhile state into two Union territories on August 5, 2019.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar has emphasized that a decision regarding separate or simultaneous elections would be made after a thorough review of security concerns and feedback.

Despite the complexities involved, Kumar maintained that there was no delay on the part of the Election Commission in facilitating Assembly polls in the UT.

The demand for expedited assembly elections has gained momentum from mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar underscored the Commission's awareness of the prevailing "vacuum" in the Union territory, stressing the imperative to address it promptly. He reiterated the Commission's commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities, ensuring timely elections to uphold democratic values.

The news agency KNS reported that a senior BJP leader expressed the party's unwavering readiness for elections, reaffirming their dedication to the democratic process.

Echoing similar sentiments, a representative from the Apni Party emphasized the populace's eagerness for electoral participation, urging the Election Commission to expedite the decision-making process.

The prolonged absence of an elected government has fueled the urgency for timely elections, with political stakeholders advocating for swift action to address the prevailing political vacuum.

Despite reservations expressed by certain National Conference leaders regarding the perceived lack of initiative in conducting overdue assembly elections, the consensus remains firm on the imperative of electoral governance.

Asserting the need for decisive action, stakeholders emphasize the pivotal role of the Election Commission in mitigating the political vacuum and fulfilling the populace's democratic aspirations.

Amid ongoing deliberations, the Election Commission stands as the final authority on the matter, tasked with navigating the complexities and assessing the ground realities in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Jammu and Kashmir administration are pivotal in providing crucial insights into the prevailing situation, facilitating informed decision-making by the Election Commission.

Despite the absence of a formal announcement, political activities continue unabated in the region, with parties mobilizing supporters and advocating for timely elections.

Ravinder Raina, President of the BJP, reiterated the party's commitment to electoral governance, expressing optimism for imminent polls.

The prevailing sentiment among BJP leaders reflects a sense of readiness and confidence in securing a decisive mandate to steer Jammu and Kashmir towards a new era of governance and development.

As political fervour intensifies, stakeholders eagerly await the Election Commission's decision, hopeful for a swift resolution that will pave the way for democratic governance and pave the path for Jammu and Kashmir's inclusive development.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition challenging the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir.

According to details available with the news agency KNO, a division bench of the Apex Court dismissed the petition challenging the notifications for delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary segments in J&K.

On March 6, 2020, the Centre constituted a three-panel headed by former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Ranjana Desai. Its two other members were Chief Election Commissioner and J&K’s State Election Commissioner.

It was entrusted with the work of delimiting the Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of the 2011 Census and in accordance with the provisions of Part-V of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) and the provisions of Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002).

The Commission unveiled its final order on May 5, 2022, and allocated six additional seats to Jammu and one to Kashmir. It also reserved nine seats for scheduled tribes - six in Jammu region and three in Kashmir.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Supreme Court will deliver its judgment tomorrow on a plea challenging delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory.

According to the news agency KNO, the Apex Court will pronounce its judgment on Monday (February 13) on the petition filed by two Srinagar residents - Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Muhammad Ayub Matto.

On March 6, 2020, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department) issued a notification in the exercise of power under Section 3 of the Delimitation Act, 2002, constituting a Delimitation Commission, with former Supreme Court judge (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai as the chairperson.

The exercise was completed on May 5, 2022, when the delimitation panel unveiled its final order.

The petitioners have contended that the Article 170 of the Constitution of India indicates that the next delimitation exercise is to be carried out only after 2026, enforcing the delimitation process in UT of J&K is not only arbitrary but also violative of the basic structure of the Constitution.

They have submitted that the Delimitation Commission does not have the power to carry out the exercise as under Section 9(1) (b) of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950 and Section 11(1) (b) of the Delimitation Act 2022, the power vested on the Election Commission is to update the Delimitation order by making the necessary changes on account of subsequent events and the said power cannot change boundaries or areas or extent of any constituency by way of any notification.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The two-year-long delimitation process for Jammu & Kashmir concluded on Thursday with a three-member panel tasked for the exercise unveiling the final electoral map of the Union Territory.

Headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, the Commission came up with the final delimitation order after holding its meeting. The order came into effect today with its publication in the Gazette of India.

As per the new electoral map, a copy of which is available with the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), out of the 90 Assembly constituencies of J&K, 43 will be part of Jammu region and 47 for Kashmir.

As per the contours of the exercise, nine Assembly constituencies have been reserved for STs, out of which six are in Jammu region and three in the Valley. Besides, seven seats have also been reserved for SCs in J&K UT Assembly.

The Commission has also unveiled boundaries of five Parliamentary seats of Jammu and Kashmir, one of which has been carved out by combining Anantnag region in the Valley and Rajouri & Poonch of Jammu region.

The Commission said most of the representations regarding the change of names of the proposed constituencies were accepted by it in view of the public sentiment involved in the same.

“These name changes included naming Tangmarg-AC as Gulmarg-AC, Zoonimar-AC as Zaidibal-AC, Sonwar-AC as Lal Chowk-AC, Padder-AC as Padder-Nagseni-AC, Kathua North-AC as Jasrota-AC, Kathua South-AC as Kathua-AC, Khour-AC as Chhamb-AC, Mahore-AC as Gulabhgarh-AC, Darhal-AC as Budhal-AC, etc,” the panel said.

It said that some of the representations pertaining to shifting of tehsils from one Assembly constituency to another were found logical and were accepted, viz; shifting of tehsil Shrigufwara from Pahalagam-AC to Bijbehara-AC, shifting of Kwarhama and Kunzar tehsils to Gulmarg-AC and redrawing Wagoora-Kreeri-AC having Kreeri and Khoie tehsils and part of Wagoora and Tangmarg tehsils, shifting of Darhal Tehsil from Budhal-AC to Thannamandi-AC.

“Additionally, there were some requests for minor changes in the territorial jurisdiction of proposed ACs, which were thoroughly analysed by the Commission and a few of them, which were logical, have been incorporated in the final order,” the panel said.

Delimitation panel recommends Centre to make provision for nomination of two members from Kashmiri migrants in Legislative Assembly

The delimitation commission has recommended to the Central government to make provision for the nomination of at least two members from the community of Kashmiri migrants in the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory.

As per the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in its report, the panel has recommended to the Government of India make legal provisions for the nomination of at least two members (one of them must be a female) from the community of Kashmiri migrants in the Legislative Assembly.

As per its recommendation submitted to the Central government, the Commission has said these members may be given power at par with the power of nominated members of the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Puducherry.

In the Legislative Assembly of Puducherry, the Central government has powers to nominate three MLAs and their powers are similar to elected legislators.

In its report, the panel has also recommended to the Central government that it may consider giving the displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir some representation in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, by way of the nomination of representatives of the displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the panel, during the public hearings, it received a number of representations from the Kashmiri migrants and the displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“The delegations of Kashmiri migrants represented before the Commission that they were persecuted and forced to live in exile as refugees in their own country for the last three decades. It was urged that in order to preserve their political rights, seats may be reserved for them in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and Parliament,” reads the statement issued by the panel after unveiling its final report.

The Commission also said the displaced persons from PaJK also requested it to reserve a few seats for them in the J&K Legislative Assembly.

Political parties express resentment over Delimitation Commission’s final report

The mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir here have expressed resentment against the final report tabled by the delimitation panel about the delimitation of constituencies here in the Union Territory.

National Conference (NC) in a tweet said that they are studying the implications of these recommendations for individual Assembly constituencies.

“We have seen the final recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. We are studying the implications of these recommendations for individual assembly constituencies. No amount of gerrymandering will change the ground reality which is that whenever elections are held the voter will punish the BJP & its proxies for what they have done to J&K over the last 4 years,” JKNC tweeted.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement said that the party from day one has looked at the delimitation exercise as an extension of the process started on August 5, 2019 to disempower people from a particular community and a region.

“The final draft has proved our fears right again. The GoI has used or misused independent institutions to turn the electoral majority into a minority by using geography and access as a ruse. It will be for the first time in the electoral history of the country that elections are being rigged long before the first vote is cast. It's another sad chapter of history written by the rulers sitting in New Delhi,” PDP spokesman said.

In a statement issued to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Peoples Conference (PC) said that the delimitation report is a repeat of the past. “Same traditional entities are calling the shots behind the scenes. Kashmir has been discriminated against as in the past. No change. Only the degree of disempowerment is greater,” the statement said.

“Over the last six decades, Kashmir’s share of Assembly seats in the J&K Assembly increased from 43 to 47 while Jammu’s share rose from 30 to 43. Who is responsible for the systematic disempowerment of Kashmiris since 1947? Those who aided and abetted in the journey from Jammu’s 30 to 37 are the ones who aided and abetted from 37 to 43,” the statement said.

The statement further said that the PC had hoped that Kashmiri parties stayed away and not diluted the stigma associated with a people-less process, which was essentially a tool for the disempowerment of Kashmiris.

CPI (M) in a statement said that the Delimitation Commission has submitted its final report despite Constitutional freeze on the increase or decrease of Parliamentary or Assembly seats.

“Though the Delimitation Commission was constituted under the Delimitation Act of 2002 but has re-drawn the constituencies of UT of JK in accordance with the provisions of J&K Re-organisation Act 2019 which has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The said Re-organisation Act modified the law of enfranchisement of J&K. Voting rights for the State Assembly which were restricted to only permanent residents have been extended to non-state subjects also. The exercise is bound to disempower the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the long run,” CPI (M) said.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse